How Do I Use Winzip to Process AOL E-Mail

How do I use WinZip to process AOL e-mailattachments?

WinZip can be used to decode certain e-mail attachments (known as "MIME-encoded") that are not handled by AOL e-mail services.

When you install the current release of WinZip using the standard installationoptions, the installation procedure automatically associates WinZip with MIME-encoded files. This will allow you to open a MIME-encoded file with WinZip simply bydouble-clicking it in My Computer or Windows Explorer. If you are not running thecurrent release (now WinZip 8.1), we recommend that you obtain the upgrade to thecurrent release before attempting to decode your e-mail attachment. To see whatrelease of WinZip you have using the Classic interface, choose About WinZip...from the Help menu; using the WinZip Wizard, click About on the first Wizardscreen.

Once you have the current release of WinZip installed, you can use it to decode thecontents of MIME-encoded files, much as you would extract the contents of Zip files.Here is a quick example of how to decode files that are encoded within the .MIM file:

If you use the Classic interface / If you use the WinZip Wizard
(requires WinZip 8.0 or higher)
1. Open the MIME-encoded file by double-clicking its name in My Computer or Windows Explorer. It will typically be in your AOL downloads folder.
2. In the main WinZip window, you should see a list of the encoded file(s) that are contained in the .MIM file. Select a file you'd like to decode by single-clicking it, and then press the Extract button on the toolbar or choose Extract from the Actions menu.
3. In the Extract dialog box that appears, use the "Folders/drives"window to navigate to the folder where you want the decoded copyof the file to go, and then click theExtract button. This will decodethe file and place it in the folder you specified. / 1.Open the MIME-encoded file by double-clicking its name in MyComputer or Windows Explorer. Itwill typically be in your AOLdownloads folder.
2.Click Next in the Welcome panel.
3.Click Next again in the SelectActivity panel.
4.In the Unzip panel, use Selectdifferent folder to browse to thefolder where you want thedecoded file(s) to be stored, thenclick Unzip Now. This will decodethe file(s) encoded in the MIME fileand place them in the folder youspecified. If you checked theoption to Display file icons afterunzipping, WinZip willautomatically open the foldercontaining the decoded files. Justdouble-click each file to view itscontents.

How to compress and attach files or folders from My Computer or Windows Explorer

To compress files or folders and attach them to a new e-mail message from My Computer or Windows Explorer, simply right-click on the files or folders and choose Zip and E-Mail from the pop-up menu. WinZip will compress the selected items to a temporary Zip file, create a new e-mail message and attach the Zip file to it. You can then address and mail the message as you normally would. WinZip will automatically delete the temporary Zip file when it is no longer needed.